Nine cops charged with murder of taxi driver released on bail

Mozambican Modi Macia was tied to a police van and driven through the streets before he died in a police cell two hours later. The nine police officers accused of his murder have repeatedly had their bail applications rejected but magistrates say that 'circumstances have changed.'

NINE South African policemen have been released on bail having been charged with the murder of a Mozambican taxi driver in Johannesburg.

Mido Macia, 27, died in a police cell in February, two hours after he was put in custody having been tied by his arms to the back of a police van and dragged through the streets, then beaten.

Video footage of the incident on 26 February was recorded by a bystander. The officers pleaded ‘not guilty’ and were originally denied bail, in case they tried to speak to witnesses.

On Tuesday they were granted bail, their third attempt to do so, of R5,000 (£324), on the condition that the policemen did not visit the area where Macia died, in Daveyton, east of Johannesburg. The magistrate in the Benoni court suggested bail was granted because circumstances had changed.

“The family won’t be happy with the outcome but we respect the decision. Now let’s wait for the trial,” Jose Nascimento said, representing Macia’s family and the government of Mozambique.

Macia is believed to have been involved in a confrontation with the police officers after parking his car on the wrong side of the road in Daveyton.

December Mthimunye, the prosecutor, said in March that Macia died from a lack of oxygen, and had suffered head injuries and haemorrhaging in the tissue around his heart and in his right lung. He suffered injuries that suggested he may have been trying to protect himself, the South African Press Association said.

Defence lawyer Lokhimbar Dikatope said that Macia was facing charges for his involvement in a road accident where five children had died.

He reminded the court that the nine suspects had served in the police force without any previous reported incidents.

The suspects claim that Macia had resisted arrest and assaulted a police officer after being confronted for parking illegally. The driver of the van said that he had driven away from an angry crowd that had gathered, without knowing Macia was handcuffed to the back of the vehicle. No explanation was given as to how this had happened.